Frogless switch.



`citizen 'of the United` Statesl residing at Uoyofxhio, have invented acertain n'ewand which the fol a simple and reliable mechanism wherebypointed .ont hereinafter.

Nrrnn STATES PATENT Fries'.

FaoeLEss SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION formngpanf .Leners Pai-.emi No. 'fst-nominata Jan@ 5, 1ecc.

4Implication filed March 22,1900.

To @ZZ whom it may @encerrar A Be it known that-I, GEORGE W. SnANE, a

lumbus, in the countyof Franklin-and State useful Impro ement' inFrogless Switches, of

Y lowing isa specication. lll/Iyinvention relates tothe improvement offrogless' switches; and the` objects pf my invention are to provide arailway-track with .the-,main track may be temporarilymad'continuous atthe usualepoint of its junction with the switch-rail and whereby sa-idmain track may be broken and'theswitch-rail made continuoustherethrough, to providea shifting rail-sectionwithimproved means foroperating and supporting the same, to obviate the'employmcn tjef a-frogand guard railsuand. to produce other improvements the details ofconstruction of which Will be more fully These objects I accomplish inthemanner illustrated in the'accompanying drawings, in which-l Figure 1is a plan view of a portion of a main track and switch-track having myimprovement and showing the main vtrack broken. Fig. 2is a plan viewofthe shift-ing 0r swinging rail supporting plate.` Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the same. t tional view on line of Fig. '1g-and Fig. 5 is asectional'view on line y y of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

l and 2 represent, respectively, the inner and outer parallel rails of amain track, and 3 and 4 the inner and outer rails of a switchtrack,and 5represents the usual switch-puin ts, which are adapted to be connectedin the ordinary manner with the switch-rails 3 and 4. In carrying out myinvention sections of desirable lengths of the main-track rail 2 andswitch-rail 3 are removed, and at the center of the space thus formedbetween the separated rail portions 2 I secure upon one of the ties 6 aplate 7, said plate being provided with a transverse channel 8 on itsupper side, which at its central. point is equal in Width to the widthof the base of a track--rail, and from which said central point saidchannel is formed daring toward opposite sides of the plate. WVithin thcchannel 8 is seated the Fig-"1t is a secserial no; 9,660. (No man.)

base of a swinging track-rail section 9, the latter being adapted whenproperly'turned `to ll the space between the ends of the trackrails.2 orends of the track-rails 3. On opposite sides of the central portion ofthe railseetion 9 I employ clamping-plates 10, the latter having roundedlateral projections in which-,are formed vertically-grooved slots 11.Through these slotted openings extend up"- wardly the upper portions ofVertical pinsor .bolts 12,v which rise from the'under sides of vtheplate' 7.

Between the converging end portions of the rails 2 and 3 Iprovidefillingblocks 13, these con verging rail ends, together wththe ends ofthe rail-section 9, being adapted to'bearv upon tie-plates 14, whichad-v jacent to the ends of the filling-blocks 13 are formed with shallowupwardly projecting stopribs or` shoulders 15,V against which the basesof the rail-sections 3 andl2'are adapted' ing plate 14.

2O and 21 represent parallel operating rods or` bars which extend in thedirection of the length of the ties and which pass beneath the outertrack-rail 4. The inner portion of the operating-bar 2O is pivotallyconnected at 2` with one end of the bar 19. This operatingbar 20 extendsbeneath the rail-section 9 and has formed therewith a hook or shouldertermination 22, which engages-the outer side of said rail-section 9. Theinner side of said rail-section is similarly engaged by a block 423whichis detachably secured tothe bar 20. The operating-bar 2l is in a likemanner provided with a rigid rail-engaging shoulder '24, correspondingwith the shoulder 22, and with a detachable engaging block 25,corresponding with the block 23, whilethe end of said bar 2l beyond theshoulder 24. is pivotally connected at 2l with one end 'of the remainingbar 19.

On the outer side of the outer switch-rail i I fulcrum uponconvenientties bell-crank levers 26 and 27, one arm of thc-lever 26 be-IOO ing pivotally connected with the outer end of the bar 2l and thecorresponding arm of the lever 27 being similarly connected with theouter end of the arm 20. The remaining arms of these bellcranks arerespectively connected with laterally-projecting lugs 2S and 29 o'f anoperating-rod 30, which is xnovably supported in suitable keepers 31,mounted. upon the tie ends. cru 1n on one of t-he tie extensionsopposite the switch-points a bell-crank, one arm of which has a pivotalconnection with the outwardlyextending portion of a bar 33, whichextends under the switch-rail 4 and is connected with the switch-points5. The remaining arm of the bell-crank 32 is pivotally connected withthe rod 30.

In Fig. l of the drawings I have shown the swinging rail-section 9thrown into alinenient with the track-rail sections 3, therebycompleting the switch-track across the inner maiu-` track rail. In orderto break the switch-rail and close the space between the sections of themain-track rail 2, the rod 30 through the medium of a suitable lever orother operating device is forced inthe direction of the arrow, with theresult thatthe rail-section 9 is swung until it is in alinement with therail-sections 2. It is obvious that a reverse movement of the rod 30must result in again closing the space between the switch-rail sections3.

While I have sho wn herein a swinging-rail section, it will be observedthat said rail section is not provided with a central pivot, as iscommon iu constructions of this character, and that the inclinedvertical shoulders of the plate 7, which result from the flaring form ofthe channel in said plate, will operate to limit the swinging movementof the rail-'section 9 in either direction. It will also be observedthat the swinging rail will be further assured in its position and itsmovement further limited positivelyby the pins or bolts which work inthe slotted openings 11.

In order to provide against a longitudinal movement ol thc rail-scctons,I have formed As indicated at 32, I fuif* the shallowupwardly-projecting rib l5 on each of the plates 14,`th is rib not beingof sufficient height to interfere with the flanges of car-Wheels whichpass over the rails or of sufficient width to break the desirablecontinuity of the rail-sections. Owing to the fact that I have provideda detachable connection of the blocks and 23 with the bars 2l and 20, itwill be observed that these blocks may be readily removed, together withthe .plates 10, to admit of the removal of the railthe rail-sections,said plate having a trans verse channel formed flaring from oppositesides of its center, of a rail-section 0 bearing centrally in said'plate channel, clamping-` plates on opposite sides of said rail-sectionhaving slotted openings therein, guide-pins projecting from said plate 7through said slotted openings, outwardly-extending,operating-barsengaging said rail-section 9, leverbars 19 joiutedly connecting saidoperatingbars with rigid ties, jointedly-connected arms between the bars19 and rail-section 9 and means for imparting a simultaneous outwardmovement to one of said operating-bars and an inward movementto theother, substantially as specified.

GnORGE' lV. SLANE.

In presence of C. C. SHEPHERD, A. L. Pennies.

' tion and a plate supported centrally between'

